Ex-DPWH exec Bernardo bares P130-million ‘balato’ from Zaldy Co

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MANILA, Philippines — Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo said that he received a total of P130 million in "balato" (gratitude money) from fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co.

Bernardo said this during a malversation trial on Tuesday, March 17, involving a P289.5-million substandard flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

The case centers on allegations against fugitive Co and several co-accused from the DPWH Mimaropa Regional Office.

According to Bernardo, he received portions of the money through former DPWH Mimaropa Regional Director Gerald Pacanan and DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara. He said that the largest portion of the money came through Alcantara.

He said that Pacanan and Alcantara informed him that the funds were provided by Co, allegedly as a "token of gratitude" for his endorsement of the pair in transactions involving purportedly irregular flood control projects.

This was Bernardo’s first testimony since he was made a state witness by the Department of Justice. Alcantara, whom he implicated during the hearing, is also a state witness.

Aside from Co, the accused in the case were Pacanan and DPWH-Mimaropa officials Gene Altea, Ruben Delos Santos Jr., Dominic Serrano, Lerma Cayco, Felisardo Casuno, Dennis Abagon, Juliet Calvo, and Montrexis Tamayo.

All of them have pleaded not guilty to charges of malversation and graft before the Sandiganbayan.

Co, who has been out of the country since July 2025, was declared a fugitive by the anti-graft court in December.